Portable gangplank and dock



J. K. EGBERT PORTABLE GANGPLANK AND DOCK Dec. 20, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 3, 1958 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 20, 1960 J. K. EGBERT 2,964,767

PORTABLE GANGPLANK AND oocx Filed Dec. 3, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jfffly 5 e 7' Z INVENTOR 1 BY I! 1 I ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent PORTAFLE GANGPLANK AND DOCK Jack K. Egbert, 1359 E. 9th St., Chico, Calif.

Filed Dec. 3, 1958, Ser. No. 777,947

2 Claims. (Cl. 14-71) This invention relates to a portable gangplank and dock, and more particularly to such a gangplank adapted for small craft. 7

A primary object of this invention is the provision of a gangplank which may be readily attached to the side of a small boat, and which when not in use as a gangplank may be readily folded over the boat to rest on the opposite gunwale thereof in upside down position, in such manner as to be readily available for further use when desired.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of such a gangplank which may be readily detached from the means for securing the same to the boat, and by means of a suitable support may be used as a plank dock.

A particular object of the invention is the provision of a ga'iig'plank of this nature, which may be employed with tow boats for water skiers or the like, by means of which the driver of the boat, and other occupants who may be fully clothed, may enter and leave the boat without the necessity of getting wet.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of such a gangplank which is readily adapted for use in rapidly shelving water so that embarkation and deeinbarka'tion to and frorr'ithe bo'at' may be effected in complete comfort without the necessity of wading to'or from the boat.

Still another object resides in the provision of such a device which will be sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and efiicient in operation, and relatively simple to manufacture, assemble and utilize.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter, and disclosed in the accompanying drawings wherein there are shown a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the gangplank of the instant invention, shown in association with the gunwale of a small boat, the latter being in section.

Figure 2 is a top plan view, partially broken away, of the construction of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 2 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of Figure 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Figure 3 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Figure 2 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 7 is a side elevational View, partially broken away, of an accessory adapted to be employed with the gangplank in the instant invention.

Figure 8 is a front plan view of the construction of Figure 7.

2,964,767 Patented D'ec. 20,- 1960 "ice , Similar" reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several viewings of the drawings.

Having reference now to the instant invention in detail, thereis' generally indicated at 10, a gangplank, which in cludes a top planking surface 11, and a pair of longitudinally extending support members 12, the planking being secured to" the support members as by means of suitable rivets or bolts 13'or the like.

At one end of the gangplank 10 there are provided a pair of pointed depending pins 14, which may be employed to' anchor'one end of the gangplank in the shore or ground surface indicated at S in Figure 1.

The other end of the gangplank is provided, as best disclosed in Figure 5 with a pair of oppositely disposed outwardly extending pins 15, extending through aligned apertures in the sides of the supporting members 12, it being here pointed out that the members 12 are preferably tubular in construction.

Each'of the pins 15 is provided with an enlarged head 16 extending inwardly, and extends through a suitable boss or collar 17 mounted on the inside surface adjacent the end of the supporting member 12. A collar 18 is provided on each pin 15f interiorly of the tubular member 12 and a coil spring 19 surrounding the pin and abutting the collar 18 in the opposite side of the tubular member 12, serves normally to bias the pin towards extended position, with the ends of each pin extending outwardly from the sides ofthe' supporting members 12.

A piv'oted upright 20 is mounted on a pivot 21 adjacent the end of the gangplank, and serves as a support forarope handrail 22', one end of which is secured to an eye 23'} carried by the end of'the gangplank adjacent the pins 14; and the other end of which is engaged by an eye 24 at the opposite end of the gangplank.

Angularly disposed bracing arms 25 are provided and secured as a't 2'6 to the underside of support members 12,

the bracing arms 25 being best shown in Figure 7 of the drawings; as connected'to uprights 50.

Means are provided for supporting the gangplank from the gunwale of a boat'B, and take the form of'two oppositely disposed tubular U-shaped members 30, the bight of each of which is enclosed by a rubber protective tubing 31. Extending transversely across the center portion of the bight of each inverted U-shaped member is a rod 32, having threaded ends, and which is secured in position as by means of nuts 33 at either end thereof. The rod 32 has mounted adjacent each end the apertured enlarged end 34 of an arcuate member 35. Each arcuate member 35 terminates in an outwardly projecting lug 36, which is provided with a suitable aperture.

The oppositely disposed apertures in the lugs 36 are adapted to be engaged by the pins 15, serving as a support for the outer end of the gangplank 10.

A wooden step 37 is secured between the end portions 34 of the members 35 and serves to support the weight of the user of the gangplank in stepping into the boat.

When the gangplank is in the position shown in Figure 1, the ends 27 of the brace members 25 seat against the lower ends of the inverted V-shaped members 3d and serve as reinforcements therefor.

A connecting rod 40 having a threaded end and provided at the other end with a head 41, extends between the lower portions of the members 30, and serves as an inner stop to preclude downward pivotal swinging of the members 35 about the rod 32, when the device is in position for use, as shown in Figure l. A nut 42 serves to secure the rod 40 in position.

Means are provided for positioning the ends of the members 30 a desired distance from the side of the boat, and take the form of braces 43, having pivoted thereto as by means of pivots 44 padded bumpers 45, which may be made of rubber, or other desired material. The

braces 43 are provided with threaded ends, which ex-' tend through suitable apertures in the lower extremities of the inverted V-shaped members 30, and are adjustably held in position as by means of oppositely disposed clamping nuts 46.

In the use and operation of the device, when it is desired to use the same as a gangplank, the parts are positioned as shown in Figure 1. When, however the device is not in use, and it is desired to use the same in conjunction with the boat, and carry the gangplank for use at an additional location, the pivoted upright 20 is swung downwardly about the pivot pin 21, and the entire assembly is pivoted about the pivot 32, and the pins 15 to extend the gangplank transversely across the boat so that the planking surface 11 will rest upon the opposite gunwale in upside down position, and may be suitably transported with the boat to any other desired locality.

Under certain conditions it may be desirable to employ the gangplank structure as a fixed dock, disassociated from the boat.

For'this purpose an attachment is provided, which, as

shown in Figures 7 and 8 comprises a pair of spaced apart uprights 50, the uprights being connected by transverse extending members 51. Each upright '50 is provided with a point 52, to enable the same to be embedded in the bottom of a body of Water. A plurality of vertically aligned holes or openings 53 are positioned on the inner side of each of uprights 50. When it is desired to employ the device as a dock, the pins are withdrawn against the bias of the springs 19, to disengage their ends from the openings in the lugs 36. The gangplank is then positioned between the uprights 50, and the ends of the pins 15 extended into suitable oppositely aligned opening 53, under which conditions the support including the uprights 50 serve as a means for supporting the gangplank 10 outwardly over a body of water, in such manner that a boat may draw up to the end thereof, while remaining in water sufiiciently deep to float the same.

Brace arms 25 are pivotally connected to the gangplank 10 and are adapted to swing into engagement with the uprights 50, where they are secured by bolts 55 that are positioned in selected openings 53 of the uprights and secured by wing nuts 56.

Any suitable bumper means may be employed on the 4 a. supporting member, and may, for example, take the form of an old automobile tire suitably secured to the projecting portions of the members 51, such a tire being indi cated by dotted lines in Figure 8 designated T.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved portable gangplank and dock, which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiments herein before shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

1. In a gangplank for small boats, the combination of a pair of inverted U-shaped members for engagement with the gunwale of a boat, said inverted U-shaped members encased in a rubber protective tubing, a pair of rods in parallel spaced relation to one another, said rods secured to and separating said inverted U-shaped members, a gangplank, a pair of arcuate members having one end pivotally secured to the apex of said pair of U-shaped members, said gangplank having one end pivotally secured to the other end of said arcuate members, a pair of braces adjustably secured in horizontal position to the lowermost extremity of said inverted U-shaped members, for positioning said inverted U-shaped members to the side of said boat, and a padded bumper pivotally secured to said pair of braces, said padded bumper beof the outermost end of said gangplank for securing said gangplank to the shore when it is in usable position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 963,918 Miller July 12, 1910 1,458,744 Brewster June 12, 1923 2,187,633 Smith Jan. 16, 1940 2,536,966 Teller Jan. 2, 1951 2,721,345 Aken Oct. 25, 1955 2,758,770 Wagner Aug. 14, 1956 

